diff --git a/arch/xtensa/core/thread.c b/arch/xtensa/core/thread.c
index 9cff0b121fc..f250b5aa8d8 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/core/thread.c
+++ b/arch/xtensa/core/thread.c
@@ -135,8 +135,21 @@ void _new_thread(char *pStack, size_t stackSize,
 #endif
 	tcs->callee_saved.topOfStack = pInitCtx;
 	tcs->arch.flags = 0;
-	tcs->arch.prio = prio;
-
+	_init_thread_base(&tcs->base, prio, _THREAD_PRESTART, options);
+	/* static threads overwrite it afterwards with real value */
+	tcs->init_data = NULL;
+	tcs->fn_abort = NULL;
+#ifdef CONFIG_THREAD_CUSTOM_DATA
+	/* Initialize custom data field (value is opaque to kernel) */
+	tcs->custom_data = NULL;
+#endif
+#ifdef CONFIG_THREAD_MONITOR
+	/*
+	 * In debug mode tcs->entry give direct access to the thread entry
+	 * and the corresponding parameters.
+	 */
+	tcs->entry = (struct __thread_entry *)(pInitCtx);
+#endif
 	/* initial values in all other registers/TCS entries are irrelevant */
 
 	THREAD_MONITOR_INIT(tcs);
diff --git a/arch/xtensa/include/kernel_arch_data.h b/arch/xtensa/include/kernel_arch_data.h
index a637222ae64..4eb992462a0 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/include/kernel_arch_data.h
+++ b/arch/xtensa/include/kernel_arch_data.h
@@ -134,7 +134,6 @@ struct _thread_arch {
 	 * offset to read the 'flags' field.
 	 */
 	uint32_t flags;
-	int prio;     /* thread priority used to sort linked list */
 #ifdef CONFIG_THREAD_CUSTOM_DATA
 	void *custom_data;     /* available for custom use */
 #endif